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Chanakarn Boonyasith

Partner

Biography

Chanakarn Boonyasith is a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ employment practice in Bangkok, where she provides strategic, practical legal advice to multinational and domestic clients on a wide range of employment-related issues, including workforce restructuring, employment contracts, terminations, compliance, and workplace investigations. Recognized as a leading employment lawyer in Thailand, Chanakarn has been ranked by various legal publishers, including Chambers and Partners and Asia Business Law Journal.

Chanakarn has extensive experience advising on Thai labor and employment law, personal data protection, and corporate and commercial matters, enabling her to deliver integrated solutions for complex, cross-border matters. She regularly advises clients across diverse industries, including manufacturing, financial institutions, hospitality, transportation, retail, education, and mining. Known for her commercial mindset and responsiveness, Chanakarn is a trusted advisor to international clients seeking clear, practical, and business-oriented solutions in Thailand.

Chanakarn holds an LLM in International Business Law from University College London and an LLB from Chulalongkorn University. She was admitted to the Thai Bar in 2010 and is a qualified notarial services attorney.

Experience

  • Advised a newly established mining services company in Thailand on structuring and implementing its employment and HR framework, addressing complex labor law issues on work cycles, working hours, and overtime, and preparing compliant contracts, work rules, and employee privacy documentation in Thai and English.
  • Advised a listed wholesale and retail company in Thailand on a high volume of employment and labor matters, including post-amalgamation employment transfers, union issues, senior exits, restructuring, and evolving compliance obligations, covering working conditions, employee benefits, data protection, and recent statutory leave requirements.
  • Advised an international school in Thailand on employment and regulatory compliance, including Ministry of Education requirements, and successfully implemented early termination strategies for senior leadership, achieving amicable, litigation-free settlements for key executives.
  • Advised a multinational technology company on mass employee terminations in Thailand following a global reorganization and business closure, covering employer liabilities, termination entitlements, negotiation strategy, and mutual separation agreements, enabling a smooth exit while minimizing disputes and effectively avoiding litigation.
  • Advised a global surface solutions provider operating via EORs in Thailand on complex misconduct and termination matters, including disciplinary strategy, employer liability, and negotiations, preparing compliant termination documentation and supporting litigation free exits while mitigating risks for both the client and its EORs.
ABOUT Chanakarn

Practices

Employment

Location

Languages

    Thai

    English

Education

    LLM, University College London LLB, Chulalongkorn University

Insights

June 4, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce the appointment of Chanakarn Boonyasith as partner in the firm’s Bangkok office, further bolstering its top-tier employment practice in Thailand and broadening the strength of its corporate and M&A group. Chanakarn brings extensive experience advising multinational and domestic clients on Thai labor and employment law, personal data protection, and corporate and commercial matters. Her practice encompasses workforce restructuring, complex terminations, employment compliance, workplace investigations, and cross-border employment matters, serving clients across diverse industries including manufacturing, financial services, hospitality, transportation, retail, education, and renewable energy. She also advises on data protection and commercial transactions, enabling her to deliver integrated solutions for multifaceted, cross-jurisdictional matters. Prior to joining Tilleke & Gibbins, Chanakarn was a partner at an international law firm in Bangkok, where she established herself as one of Thailand’s foremost employment lawyers. She is ranked by Chambers and Partners and has been named to Asia Business Law Journal’s A-List of Thailand’s top lawyers. Tilleke & Gibbins managing partner Darani Vachanavuttivong said, “Chanakarn is widely recognized as one of Thailand’s leading employment lawyers, and we are delighted to welcome her to the firm. Her deep expertise in labor and employment law, combined with her practical, business-oriented approach, will further strengthen our ability to deliver comprehensive legal solutions to the multinational companies we advise.” Tilleke & Gibbins managing partner Tiziana Sucharitkul said, “Chanakarn’s appointment underscores our commitment to offering clients best-in-class counsel across all areas of corporate and commercial law. Her track record of assisting clients in navigating Thailand’s evolving employment environment and her strong reputation in the market make her an outstanding addition to Tilleke & Gibbins.”
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August 21, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has adopted Harvey, a leading enterprise-grade AI platform for the global legal industry. The firm is proceeding with a rollout of Harvey’s legal AI solutions, which are supported by robust security and confidentiality protections, across the firm’s full-service regional practice in Southeast Asia. This initiative builds on the firm’s recent deployment of Microsoft Copilot and represents another advancement in Tilleke & Gibbins’ commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced legal service delivery. Under the program, legal professionals across the firm’s offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will have access to the full Harvey platform, equipping them to deliver practical, impactful, and results-driven legal services for clients throughout the region. The firm will also develop bespoke agentic workflows within Harvey tailored to the firm’s core practices and the unique requirements of Southeast Asian legal markets. Commenting on the initiative, Managing Partner Tiziana Sucharitkul stated, “At Tilleke & Gibbins, we have consistently invested in developing and adopting technology to improve the speed, precision, and overall excellence of our legal services. The firm’s decision to invest in Harvey exemplifies our commitment to innovation, further differentiating Tilleke & Gibbins within Southeast Asia’s legal landscape.” Managing Partner Darani Vachanavuttivong remarked, “By combining the deep regional expertise of our lawyers with Harvey’s market-leading domain-specific AI, we are empowering our regional team to streamline drafting, research, and review processes for complex legal matters, all while maintaining the high standards of quality and security our clients expect from us.” Harvey’s Chief Business Officer John Haddock added, “It’s clear Tilleke & Gibbins is investing heavily in innovation, and it’s clear their global clients will benefit significantly from their focus and investment. The Harvey team is thrilled to support the firm’s journey with our platform.”
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May 2, 2025
Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins have updated the latest edition of Doing Business in Thailand, a Q&A-style guide from Thomson Reuters Practical Law that offers an overview of key legal considerations for companies operating in jurisdictions worldwide. The contribution outlines the country’s legal and regulatory framework for foreign investment and business operations and reflects the latest legislative developments. The chapter addresses the following core topics: Legal system: Structure of the courts and the codified nature of Thai law. Foreign investment: Business restrictions under the Foreign Business Act, sector-specific regulations, exchange control rules, and investment incentives. Business vehicles: Overview of partnerships, private and public limited companies, and other legal entities. Employment: Labor protections, employment contracts, foreign worker requirements, and termination procedures. Tax: Corporate and personal income tax, indirect taxes, and tax obligations for residents and non-residents. Intellectual property: Registration and enforcement of patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. Data protection: Key provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act and related compliance obligations. Competition law: Regulatory framework under the Trade Competition Act. Anti-bribery and corruption: Relevant legislation and enforcement mechanisms. E-commerce and digital business: Legal regime for online transactions and digital platforms. Marketing and advertising: Consumer protection laws and regulations affecting advertising and marketing practices. Product regulation and liability: Safety standards, liability regimes, and roles of enforcement authorities. Practical Law, a legal reference resource from Thomson Reuters, publishes a range of guides for hundreds of jurisdictions and practice areas. The insurance and reinsurance guide is a valuable resource for legal practitioners, covering numerous jurisdictions worldwide. To view the latest version of the guide, please visit the Practical Law website and enroll in the free Practical Law trial to gain full access.
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December 4, 2024
Thailand Legal Basics, a valuable primer for foreign investors, explores all aspects of living and doing business in Thailand. Written by specialists at Tilleke & Gibbins in Bangkok, it is the only comprehensive English-language guide to the Thai legal system with a focus on the concerns of foreign business and investment.
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Awards & Rankings

April 3, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has been shortlisted in two categories at the Financial Times (FT) Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards: Innovative Lawyers in Cyber and Data Privacy – “Digital Identity & Cryptocurrency Compliance” Innovative Practitioner – Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh The FT Innovative Lawyers APAC Awards recognize law firms and practitioners who are driving innovation in legal services and delivering innovative client solutions across the Asia-Pacific region. This recognition marks our third acknowledgment in the Innovative Lawyers category and, notably, our first-ever nomination in the Innovative Practitioner category at the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC awards. It reflects our team’s continued ability to support clients on groundbreaking, forward-looking projects across the region. The awards ceremony will take place on May 14, 2026, in Hong Kong. To learn more about the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards and to view the full list of shortlisted organizations, please visit the FT website.
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March 19, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in 17 categories at the 2026 Thailand Law Firm Awards from Asia Business Law Journal (ABLJ), up from 10 categories in 2025. The awards highlight leading law firms in Thailand across a broad range of practice areas, as well as overall firm performance. This year, Tilleke & Gibbins was named a co-winner in the Best Overall Law Firm category as well as in the following practice-specific categories: Artificial Intelligence Aviation Blockchain & Digital Assets Competition & Antitrust Data Compliance & Cyber Security E-Commerce, Digital Trade & Platform Regulation ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Fintech Healthcare & Life Sciences Insurance & Reinsurance IP Litigation IP Prosecution Labour & Employment Private Equity & Venture Capital Shipping & Maritime Technology, Media & Telecommunications The awards are determined through ABLJ’s independent research, which considers recent work, client feedback, and market standing. The annual Thailand Law Firm Awards recognize firms demonstrating strong performance and breadth of expertise across key practice areas. For more details and the full list of winners, please visit the ABLJ website.
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March 9, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been shortlisted in multiple firmwide and individual categories at the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2026, including Regional Firm of the Year, reflecting the firm’s work across Southeast Asia and the continued development of its regional practices. In the individual categories, Aye Thuzar Hlaing has been shortlisted for Myanmar Associate of the Year (Corporate and M&A), and Linh Duy Mai has been shortlisted for Vietnam Associate of the Year (Intellectual Property). Tilleke & Gibbins has also been shortlisted in the following firm categories: Regional Firm of the Year Thailand – Law Firm of the Year Thailand – Law Firm of the Year (Litigation) Myanmar – Law Firm of the Year Vietnam – Law Firm of the Year Vietnam – Law Firm of the Year (Labor and Employment) Laos – Law Firm of the Year The winners will be announced on April 30, 2026, at the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards ceremony in Singapore. To browse the full shortlist for the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2026, please see the Legal 500 website.
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